The light spectacle “The Blue Apples” was never publicly presented as a whole. Magdalena and Andrzej Struscy present 2,5 hour photographic documentation from this event from the day 17.01.2011 in Rennes le Chateau.

The Blue Apples – Rennes le Chateau – the photographic documentation.

In the Church of St. Mary Magdalene in Rennes le Chateau each year on the 17th of January at the winter noon during nice weather the rays of the sun that fall on the colourful stained glass are the cause of a beautiful light spectacle on the opposite wall inside the Church.

This spectacle lasts altogether about 2,5 hours, it starts shortly before 12 at noon and ends in its first part a few minutes after 2 o'clock and in the second part at about 3 o'clock.

The first part refers to the sunlight that falls through the stained glass placed behind the figure of St. Roch just next to the main entrance to the Church. Here the play of the lights begins to appear on the first pillar situated just behind the font. It moves slowly under the Station of the Cross No V, it goes under the figure of St. Germaine and next it goes under the Station of the Cross No IV to enter the second pillar in which the main dominating blue apple connects with the ring of the wall painting and for a short time it throws light at the centre of it, then it goes through the middle of the circle of the cross formed from the four leaves of the acorn and again it enters the second ring of this painting to go next to the Station of the Cross No 3 and to end here with the last going out apple - precisely under the number of this station - the light spectacle.

The second part of the light spectacle begins at about three quarters past 1 and it finishes at about 3 o'clock in the afternoon.

Here the sunlight enters through the stained glass situated just behind the figure of M. Madelaine – the patroness of the Church and its reflection in the form of the whole range of the apples of different colours appears behind the Station of the Cross No III and directly under the figure of St. Anthony the Hermit , then they go under the Station of the Cross No II appearing on the side-door of the temple. They finish their wandering in the middle part of the Pulpit.

In this unusual day the small Church is visited by many tourists who want to see this unusual view.

Most of the observers delighted by the scene of the first spectacle which begins not far from the main entrance to the Temple do not pay attention to the second spectacle which begins in the middle part of the Church. In spite of such a big number of tourists that come at that day to Rennes le Chateau from all over the world the Church is not very crowded as almost each visitor spends here only a few minutes.

The light spectacle in the Temple of St. Magdalene shows a tree with round fruits which are resembling the apples hanging on its branches. From the first moments of the spectacle with the time passing it becomes more and more clear, it looks so as if the apples were ripening. They are clearly becoming orange and red and a few of them are in a pure blue colour. What dominates in the upper part of the tree are three blue apples.

The plan of the Church of St. Magdalene

Photo 1 and 1a At the height of noon the rays of the sun throw light on the font and the figures situated there.

Photo 2. Shortly before 12 at noon one can see the first outlines of the apples.

Photo 3. At this moment the first blue apple appears.

Photo 4. At the height of noon – the first blue apple is completely visible.

Photo 5. The first part of the spectacle – the ripening apples.

Photo 6. The wandering of the apple.

Photo 7. The tree is situated precisely under the Station No V.

Photo 8. The apples are passing the Station No V.

Photo 9. The blue apples from the first phase are going in the direction of the figure of St. Germaine.

Photo 10. At this moment the spectacle of the second phase of the apples begins beyond the station No III under the figure of St. Anthony the Hermit.One can also see in the photo the first phase of the blue apples.

Photo 11. The apples from the first part are reaching the Station No VI and the apples from the second part are moving in the direction of the side-doors.

Photo 12. Both light spectacles are visible.

Photo 13. The upper blue apple connects itself with the ring entering it. The first spectacle has passed the station No IV.

Photo 14. The blue apples from the first phase are visible on the second pillar and the apples from the second pillar are entering the pillar.

Photo 15. The blue apple enters the circle that connects the cross which is connected with the four leaves.

Photo 16. The first spectacle comes to an end, the second spectacle moves in the direction of the Pulpit.

Photo 17. The apple of the first phase left the cross composed of four oak leaves and entered the second ring.

Photo 18. The second phase of the spectacle of blue apples.

Photo 18. The apples of the first phase are moving in the direction of the Station No III.

Photo 19. The last apples red blue of the first phase under the Station No III.

Photo 20. The apple slowly goes out.

Photo 21. To completely disappear in a while.

Photo 22. The first spectacle came to the end.

Photo 23. The second spectacle is still going on.

Photo 24. The second spectacle is moving in the direction of the Pulpit and the Station No I.

Photo 25. The second spectacle comes to the end in the central part of the Pulpit.

We would like to invite you to theGalleryMagdala to see the Light Spectacle – an Incredible Play of the Lights of the Stained Glass – the “Blue Apples” a two and a half hour photographic documentation. The documentation contains 321 photos chosen from 600 of all the photos which are catalogued.